Mayor Ras J. Baraka announced that Invest Newark, the City of Newark’s Economic Development Corporation, was awarded a $750,000 grant. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board approved the funding under the New Jersey Film Works Grant Program. This funding was part of a $3 million distribution to five statewide workforce development initiatives.
This investment will provide in-person training and job placement support for key roles. The training focuses on production assistant and rigger/grip/set grip positions. This initiative is a collaboration between Invest Newark, the Newark Office of Film and TV (NOFTV), and several other partners.
“Newark has firmly put itself on the map as a production-ready city, with growing infrastructure and a deep reserve of locally-sourced talent. This impactful support from the NJEDA will allow our coalition of partners to greatly expand access to our city’s thriving film & TV industry,” said Desireè Hadley, Director of the Newark Office of Film and Television. “These funds will generate a pool of skilled production professionals to launch this exciting new phase in Newark’s long history of contributions to the film industry.”
The implementing partners include Express Newark’s Community Media Center, NewarkWORKS One Stop Career Center, Newark Film School, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. These partners are crucial to the city’s future as a leader in national entertainment and media production. “Newark continues to bask in the spotlight of attention to our multi-faceted development of artists and makers as we celebrate this significant investment in our film and production industry,” said Mayor Ras J. Baraka. He added, “We are poised to apply this funding quickly to meet the demands of our growing prominence in the world of film and TV with a new generation of next-level production experts.”
The funding supports Governor Phil Murphy’s goal to strengthen economic opportunities for New Jerseyans. The competitive program focuses specifically on residents from overburdened communities. “Newark has firmly put itself on the map as a production-ready city, with growing infrastructure and a deep reserve of locally-sourced talent. This impactful support from the NJEDA will allow our coalition of partners to greatly expand access to our city’s thriving film & TV industry,” said Desireè Hadley, Director of the Newark Office of Film and Television.
Marcus Randolph, President & CEO of Invest Newark, noted the economic power of the sector. “This funding will position local talent to participate in a high-growth sector both for Newark and the whole of New Jersey — an industry that generated more than $833 million and employed more than 30,000 crew members statewide in 2024,” he said.
Cody Piggot, Assistant Director of Operations for NewarkWORKS, emphasized the tangible career benefits. “This investment strengthens Newark’s creative economy and creates tangible career pathways for our residents in production, technical, and behind-the-scenes roles,” Piggot stated.
